JAKARTA - United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken again called on Israel to protect civilians, after the deadly attack on a UN shelter in Gaza last Wednesday.
Two tank shells hit a UN shelter on Wednesday in the main city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing 12 people, according to the UN.
The US condemned the attack but did not blame Israel. Meanwhile, Israel said that it was investigating the matter and checking whether the attack was caused by its ground forces or Hamas rockets.
During his visit to Angola, Secretary of State Blinken said that UN shelters were "very important and must be protected."
"We have reaffirmed this with the Government of Israel, and it is my understanding that they are, as necessary and appropriate, investigating this incident," Blinken said, without saying at what level the discussions were taking place, as reported by The Times of Israel January 26 .
The Israeli army is the only force known to have tanks operating in the Gaza Strip.
"The suffering of Gazans, both men, women and children, is still heartbreaking," said Foreign Minister Blinken, emphasizing Israel's responsibility to protect citizens and civilian infrastructure, quoted from The National News.
It said it would conduct a “thorough review,” ruling out the possibility the attack was “the result of a Hamas attack.”
In contrast to Israel, which often criticizes the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, Blinken praised the agency for its efforts “to help people who are in dire need.”
"The work the UN is doing in Gaza is literally saving lives and no one else can do it – and no one else can do it," he said.
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As previously reported, attacks hit the UN agency UNRWA refugee shelter in Gaza on Wednesday, said senior agency official Thomas White. It left 12 people dead and 75 others injured.
"The complex is a clearly marked UN facility and its coordinates were shared with the Israeli Government as we do with all our facilities. Once again, this is a disregard for the basic rules of war," said the agency's head Philippe Lazzarini, citing Reuters.
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